About

Hi, I’m Wendy. I run.

I didn’t used to run. I used to wish I could run, in that way you wish you could fly, or own a jet. That feeling that it’s just not meant to be, but is fun to imagine and wish for. I was never very fit, and always a little overweight. Last picked for kickball, that sort of thing. In high school I took a liking to field hockey when we had sessions in gym class, and with encouragement from the teacher/coach, joined the team. One of the field hockey coaches also coached women’s field lacrosse so I joined that later in the year. FINALLY, physical things I could do and enjoy! I stuck with these, and still play both sports now.

I still always wished I could run. Finally back in 2008 I started the Cool Running Couch-to-5k Plan. It’s a great program, starting very easily, and progressing over 9 weeks to running for 5k nonstop. I think it took me 10 or 11 weeks to complete, but I did it, and ran 5k on St Patrick’s Day that year. Participants in the race got a green ballcap, and I still proudly wear that cap to run in. Next came a 6k 2 months later, an 8k that fall, and finally the Times Colonist 10k race. I ran the whole way. I was so proud of myself, and made a plan to participate in the October 8k and April 10k each year, so that I would keep running.

Here we are in 2011 and this year I’ve gotten serious about training. I have a great coach, and he’s helping me to get faster and stronger than I’ve ever been. My goal is no longer to just finish the races running, but to run them fast. And so I train.